Chapter 40 The man, feeling lost and helpless, still needs to be protected…
General Qian's gaze was direct and frank, leaving Fu Yun momentarily speechless.
Her posture and tone gave off a strange sense of familiarity, yet also a peculiar sense of unease.
He thought about it for a moment and finally realized what was strange. Wasn't this the kind of flirting lines that most men used when pursuing girls they liked?
Goodness, now it's the other way around; he, a grown man, is the one being flirted with.
Fu Yun was momentarily speechless, then cleared his throat, awkwardly ending the conversation: "It's getting late, shouldn't we head back?"
General Qian opened his mouth, about to respond.
Ye Lan suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside, saying impatiently, "Alright, alright, stop talking nonsense, we'll talk about it when we get back."
Before General Qian could react, she quickly glanced at Fu Yun and gestured with her chin toward the carriage: "You two, don't just stand there, hurry up and get on."
Upon hearing this, Fu Yun seemed to be rescued. He immediately tossed his robe aside, quickly stepped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, entered the carriage, and sat down with a thud.
His movements were so fluid and seamless, he didn't even break a sweat, leaving Ye Lan and General Qian completely stunned.
When did the reserved and refined young master Su become so impulsive?
Wasn't he always so slow, deliberate, and refined, a pleasure to behold? Why is he walking so briskly today, as if he's hiding from something?
Ye Lan looked thoughtfully at the still swaying carriage curtain, then revealed a knowing expression. She turned to look at Lao Qian beside her, a hint of schadenfreude flashing in her eyes: "You seem to have frightened him?"
General Qian glared at Ye Lan and retorted defiantly, "What do you know, you stubborn blockhead?"
"Hey!" Ye Lan retorted, unconvinced. "Old Qian, who are you calling a blockhead? You want a beating, don't you?"
General Qian raised an eyebrow, shrugged with a half-smile, and said, her sarcasm obvious: "What do you think?"
Lu Zhisheng stared blankly at the scene before him, not daring to take a step forward or get into the carriage. He could only stand aside trembling, afraid that Ye Lan and the former general would fight.
Ye Lan gritted her teeth, raised her right hand, and made a fake punching motion: "You have the nerve to mock me? You're such a womanizer, you've already bewitched your soul so easily, it's just one man?"
General Qian was not annoyed and responded generously: "Young Master Su is the husband I want to marry. It is only natural for me to take good care of him. What's wrong with that?"
Fu Yun's forehead twitched as he listened: "..."
He felt he should disappear here instead of sitting in the carriage.
Seriously, isn't it a trick for good brothers to tease and test each other by deliberately making fun of each other in front of their best friends?
Why would this happen between two women? Is it because of the female-dominated and male-subordinate relationship, which causes the behavior styles of men and women to be reversed?
I should say this, but my understanding is constantly being refreshed, and I'm even able to calmly and personally experience this kind of unconventional treatment.
In the past, he might have solemnly declared, "He's not the one being married off; he's the one who brings someone home."
But now, he no longer engages in verbal disputes; he only wants to focus on achieving something and demonstrating the true value of a man.
To prove to these strong women that men are not a vulnerable group that needs protection, but rather men who can share their burdens, stand up for their country, and protect their home and country just like them.
It has to be said that becoming the object of teasing and jokes between two women is truly disorienting, and there is an inexplicable sense of shame that makes one want to disappear into the ground.
Back in college, I often saw male classmates who had feelings for a girl would deliberately chat and laugh in front of her, intentionally hinting at their feelings and trying to gauge her reaction.
At the time, I didn't think there was anything wrong with this behavior. After all, I was young and impetuous. If you like someone, you should let them know in a big way.
But when you actually experience it, you realize that if you're unsure whether a girl is interested in you, you should choose to confess your feelings privately instead of rushing in with your friends. This way, you won't cause her any trouble.
Looking back now, those girls must have felt embarrassed, troubled, and annoyed when they became the subject of jokes and gossip among the boys!
It was only then that he truly realized that whether it was a young, impetuous boy or a hot-blooded, successful man, everyone should respect women's wishes instead of forcibly imposing their ideas on them.
He was glad that he didn't meet any girls he was attracted to during college, nor did he get involved in any of his brothers' activities, and he didn't do anything excessive.
The two people outside the carriage were clearly still talking, and it was unclear how long they would have to wait.
Fu Yun gently rubbed his temples and had to urge them, "Gentlemen, it's getting late. Shouldn't we head back to the city?"
General Qian raised an eyebrow at Ye Lan, who was speechless, his brows radiating confidence: "Well? Speechless now, aren't you?"
Ye Lan snorted coldly, her face full of disappointment: "You'd better watch yourself!"
General Qian shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
In her view, there is no conflict between patriotism and liking handsome men.
She looked up at the carriage and smiled as she replied, "Young master is right, it's time to return to the city."
Fu Yun breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the answer. Seeing that Lu Zhisheng had not yet boarded the carriage, she asked, "Lu Zhisheng, why aren't you getting on?"
Lu Zhisheng glanced at General Qian tremblingly, then secretly looked at Ye Lan cautiously, not daring to get into the carriage without permission.
Ye Lan was already displeased because Lao Qian wouldn't listen to advice. Seeing that Lu Zhisheng still dared to peek, she immediately glared at Lu Zhisheng with a cold look and said irritably, "What are you looking at me for? Get in your carriage."
Lu Zhisheng trembled with fright, her face turning pale, and she stammered, "Yes...yes...I...this...I...will...go...up..."
As he spoke, he strode to the carriage, lifted one foot, and tried to get on.
But his legs trembled with nervousness, and he couldn't stand firmly on the sedan chair for a long time.
General Qian shook his head slightly and whispered in Ye Lan's ear, "If you treat such a frail man like this, what young man will be willing to marry you in the future?"
Ye Lan paused for a moment, then whispered, "Get lost! I'm not you."
General Qian sighed, lamenting that Old Ye was just a blockhead, destined to be a lonely widow for the rest of his life.
Lu Zhisheng froze under the scrutinizing gazes, his back turned to the ground, and a fine layer of cold sweat beaded on his smooth forehead. The more flustered he became, the less stable he was on the stool.
The horse stool, which had been relatively stable, began to wobble under his feet.
Lu Zhisheng finally managed to step onto it, and then took another step with a trembling leg. However, due to his nervousness, he only managed to step on a third of the carriage board. He lost his balance and began to sway instantly.
Lu Zhisheng turned pale with fright and screamed, "Ah~"
He had barely uttered a sound when he felt a gust of wind pass by his back. The next instant, a force supported his lower back, stabilizing his body as he nearly fell.
Fu Jun was startled by the noise, thinking something had happened, and immediately lifted the carriage curtain: "What's wrong?"
The scene that came into view made him pause slightly. He saw Lu Zhisheng straightening up from his backward posture, while Ye Lan stood behind him with a frown, one hand supporting Lu Zhisheng's lower back.
Seeing Fu Yun lift the curtain, his eyes flashed slightly, and with a forceful push, he pushed Lu Zhisheng into the carriage.
He then quickly withdrew his palm, distancing himself from Lu Zhisheng, and returned to the position where General Qian was standing.
Lu Zhisheng reached out and grabbed the carriage, regaining his balance, his brows revealing a sense of relief at surviving a disaster.
At this moment, he lowered his eyes, secretly glancing at Ye Lan under the carriage out of the corner of his eye. His cheeks were flushed, and he whispered, "Thank you."
Ye Lan said nothing, her cold gaze lingering on Lu Zhisheng's face for a moment before she looked away, turned around, and mounted her horse.
General Qian glanced at Ye Lan, who was sitting upright on horseback, with a half-smile, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.
Ye Lan glanced indifferently at General Qian: "The men are yours now. You're in charge of escorting them back to the city. I'll be going now."
After saying that, she tightened the reins, squeezed the horse's belly, controlled the horse to turn, and trotted forward slowly.
As she passed the carriage, she kept her eyes straight ahead and gave a soft shout: "Giddy up!"
The sound of hooves rose, and she rode away at breakneck speed.
General Qian stepped onto the carriage, sat steadily in front, turned around and looked behind him, and said loudly, "Young Master Su, Young Master Lu, please be seated, we are going back."
Fu Yun nodded and replied, "Thank you for your trouble."
General Qian smiled faintly and remained silent, then cracked his whip and drove back to the city.
Fu Yun lowered the carriage curtain and glanced at Lu Zhisheng beside her. He saw that Lu Zhisheng looked dazed and seemed lost in thought.
Fu Jun didn't ask any more questions, leaned back against the carriage, and closed his eyes to rest.
After a bumpy ride, Fu Jun drifted off to sleep.
Fu Yun didn't know how much time had passed when he vaguely heard a voice calling in his ear: "Young Master Su, wake up, it's time to take your medicine."
Fu Yun slowly opened her eyes and saw Lu Zhisheng holding a bowl of medicine, looking at her with worried eyes.
Fu Yun felt a wave of soreness all over his body and his head was spinning. He shook his head, clearing his mind a little: "We're back?"
Lu Zhisheng nodded and said softly, "Your previous wound has reopened, and your internal organs have also been slightly injured. You have a fever now and need to take medicine."
Fu Yun didn't ask anything. He knew his own situation and knew he couldn't hide it from Lu Zhisheng. A simple pulse diagnosis would reveal the truth.
He struggled to sit up and caught sight of the slightly familiar bed curtains, realizing that he was no longer in the carriage, but in Lu Zhisheng's room.
He reached out and took the bowl from Lu Zhisheng's hand, and forced himself to slowly drink the medicine.
After sitting down to catch his breath, Fu Yun asked, "You didn't tell General Qian about my injury, did you?"
Lu Zhisheng shook her head and took the empty bowl from Fu Jun's hand: "She doesn't know. She thought you were just tired, so she left after bringing you back."
Fu Yun breathed a sigh of relief and lay back down.
Where is Su Mang?
Lu Zhisheng covered Fu Yun with the blanket: "Miss Su went to deliver drinks to restaurants and inns today."
He turned to look out the window: "Judging by the sky, I reckon they'll be back soon."
He stood up and said, "Take your medicine and rest well. I'll come in and call you when Miss Su returns."
Fu Jun nodded and closed his eyes.
I need to heal my injury quickly; there are still many things waiting for me to do.
With a series of unexpected events recently, there are only three days left before the first progress report to the Empress.
Three days later, he had to show the Empress some tangible progress, otherwise he really wouldn't be able to explain himself.
Besides coordinating with General Qian about the gym, we also need to look for properties to upgrade our beverage stall into a beverage shop.
It's too much work for Lu Zhisheng to always be out setting up a stall in the wind and sun. Besides, the streets are full of all sorts of people, which isn't very safe for him.
After this kidnapping incident, he had to admit that in this country where women are respected, men still need to protect themselves.
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